


The Fate of the Phoenix ~ Heroes - Promise

by orphan_account



Series: The Fate of the Phoenix ~ Heroes [8]
Category: Avengers : Age of Ultron, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Heroes path, The Fate of the Phoenix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 17:31:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7447921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The team is flying toward Sokovia.</p><p>They are going to face Ultron and his army.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fate of the Phoenix ~ Heroes - Promise

**Author's Note:**

> This work is a part of The Fate of the Phoenix ~ Heroes.

"Ultron thinks we're monsters. That we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him... it's about whether he's right", the Captain said darkly.

The Quinjet was flying toward Sokovia, surrounded by the light of the night fading away. Everyone was keeping silent, worrying about the fight to come.

A fight against Ultron, to save the sokovian people.

The Maximoff twins sat together, without saying a single word. Clint was piloting the Quinjet. Tony sat behind him. They did not exchanged a look. Bruce was losing his look in the darkness, probably thinking about Natasha, who was still prisoner of Ultron. The Vision seemed lost in her thoughts, as did Thor. Rachel was standing up, arms crossed and head laid down. She had not spoke to anyone since they had left the Avengers Tower.

The blond-haired Avenger glanced behind him. His blue eyes landed on the she-mutant, letting him see her back and her red hair. Without losing his grave and closed expression, he walked toward her and soflty put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey", he breathed lowly.

Rachel turned over, facing him. She looked perfectly calm. She seemed to be master of her emotions, as she always did.

Yet, the super soldier knew she was not alright.

She feared the battle they were about to give.

The Avenger felt his throat tightening. He hated seeing her like that, with a fake mask of serenity while a storm was roaring inside her heart.

Breaking his habit of not showing his love for Rachel when they were not alone, Steve took her in his arms, cuddling her against his chest.

The red-haired woman wrapped her arms around the super soldier, breathing in his scent of fresh air and sweat, hiding her face in his neck.

The others did not mind about this public display of affection. They did not react. And it was not time for bad jokes or mockery.

Steve and Rachel stayed immobile during a few seconds, sharing their oxygen silently, disconnected from the rest of the world. Rachel felt Steve's heart beating against her.

She might have calmed herself down. She used to relax when Steve took her in his strong arms, making her feel safe and loved. But she only remembered of what she may lose during this battle.

The red-haired woman knew she would not be able to survive without the Avenger. To her, he was everything.

Rachel clung to him, letting her forehead fall on his shoulder.

" _... I could not stand losing you..._ ", she mentaly confessed, so that he was the only one hearing her.

He rested a hand in the crook of her back, holding her close to him.

Steve had already lost a love of his. He had lost Peggy, seventy-five years ago. And he still woke up at night, sometimes, calling her name.

With the time, Rachel had taken her place in Captain America's heart.

Steve was aware that he would suffer to no end if he lost Rachel.

" _It won't happen_ ", he thought soothingly, trying to reassure as her as himself. " _... I promise._ "

She lift her head, so that she could meet his clear blue gaze.

" _Be careful, too_ ", he ordered her in his mind, seriously. 

" _... I promise._ " 

They landed. Pietro, Wanda, Clint and Rachel went in the streets to evacuate the sokovian people. Thor came to explore the underground, searching what Ultron had been doing with the vibranium. Bruce ran to find and deliver Natasha. Steve stayed in the city, watching the operations. Tony came to the church to meet Ultron, as did the Vision.

Ultron came. 

His plan went displayed.

Thanks to the vibranium he stole in Wakanda, he had created a core that plunged deep into the earth.

Meant to make Sokovia fly, ascend toward the sky to millions feet up.

And make it crash down.

To eradicate the entire human race with the force of the impact.

Then, the chaos begun.

Legions of robots arrived, all the iron puppets Ultron had been creating, and attacked the city.

People were screaming. Crying. Sobbing. Trying to escape. To run away to save their life. Buildings were collapsing. Cars were burning. Smoke and dust were invading the sky. 

The Avengers and their allies fought. In every part of the city, there were shield's knocks, roaring of thunder, arrows shot. Waves of psychic force. Blue and silver blurs. Iron crushing. Blood. Sweat. Fear. Determination.

And, after many hours of fight, wounds, gross language and groans, the team met again, in the half-destroyed church.

They all were exhausted, breathing heavily, uniform dirty with blood and dust and torn.

Pietro ran toward Wanda. Worry was clearly seeable in their eyes as they asked each other if they were okay.

Natasha arrived, freed earlier by Bruce, out of breath.

"What's the drill ?", she asked Tony.

"This is the drill", he answered, his voice muffled by his armor, showing a sort of pillar at the center of the church. 

Here was the rest of the vibranium Ultron stole in Wakanda.

"If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose."

The Hulk arrived, falling from the sky and growling in anger. 

"Rachel !" Steve called.

The she-mutant was arriving. She was the latest. She had scarcely entered the church, and Steve had already taken her in his arms, holding her against his body while she clung at him for dear life and sighed in alleviation.

They both were alive. Worn out, but still alive.

"Sorry, Captain, I'm late."

Steve released her and put his hands on her shoulders.

" 'you alright ?", he asked. 

"And you ?", she answered.

"Now, I am", he assured with a little smile.

This tiny sign of relief warmened Rachel's heart.

A sound of artifical wind and iron made them all turn around.

Ultron was hovering a few dozen of meters away from them, observing them with a sort of diabolical amusement.

"Is that the best you can do ?!", Thor shouted, opening his arms in a provocative attitude.

The robot smirked, as if he was waiting for this question.

He lift his arm. 

And a whole army came, an army of mechanical soldiers, a wave of iron and steel, an ocean of destruction.

An infinity of enemies.

"You had to ask...", Steve sighed in exasperation, throwing the nordic god a killer look.

"This is the best I can do", Ultron answered, his voice low and strong at once. "This is exactly what I wanted. All of you... against all of me. ... How can you possibly hope to stop me ?", he asked, certain that no one would answer him.

During a single instant, the silent ruled the church.

Then, Stark rose his voice.

"Well, like the old man said..."

He exchanged a look with Rogers.

For once, they thought the same.

"... together."

The Hulk roared.

And the fight resumed.

Ultron's minions all ran toward the church.

The Avengers fought. Again. With a strength they did not have before.

Iron Man destroyed the robots thanks to his suit. Captain America did not show any mercy for those iron pupets. Thor's Mjölnir was sending blue lightnings all around, cracking and crackling. The god of thunder's viking groans were echoing in the church. The Vision was flying above the battlefield, protecting the core from the sky. No one was able to see the newly called Quicksilver : he was running between the Avengers and the robots, hitting them before they could detect him. His twin-sister, the recently nicknamed Scarlet Witch, used her telekinesic powers to keep the minions away. The Phoenix destroyed all the robots she saw. The Black Widow was electrifying all the puppets she could find. The Hulk crushed them all. Hawkeye had no more arrows left, and he had thrown his bow, fighting with his hands and feet.

All as one, stronger than ever, animated by the same desire of victory. Moving, running, hitting, striking, fighting.

Together.

The last minion in the church went destroyed by the Vision.

Before the Avengers could say a word, Ultron laughed, an awfull laugh of evil and hatred. A laughter that made them expect the worst. As if he was mocking the team.

They did not had time to think or react.

A second legion arrived. More numerous than the precedent. Strong and ready.

"I truly enjoyed the show. Very impressive.", Ultron mocked them. "But now... you die", he declared coldly.

Silent blanketed all of the heroes. Their eyes widened, their shoulders fell and their last remains of bravery faded away. 

Barton's quiver was empty. Tony's suit had countless impacts on it. It was slowly running out of battery, F.R.I.D.A.Y had told him. Thor was breathing hardly, tightening his grip on his hammer. Pietro had his hands on his ribs, fighting for air to reach his burning lungs, and Wanda was next to him, fallen on her knees. Natasha's uniform's system was broken. The electricity that once ran in it was gone. Her bracelets were now useless. She was totally spent. Hulk's respiration was low, deep, harsh. Rogers was not able to breathe properly. The Vision landed swiftly, without a sound. She looked alright, but her mind was weakened. Rachel had a horrible headache and her muscles were crying out in pain.

They could not fight anymore. They were exhausted.

They were about to lose...

Fear and despair were cropping up in their heart. They were immobile, watching their enemy. Watching their end.

Behind them, a person lift her head and furrowed her brows in resignation and determination.

Footsteps went heard in the church. The heads turned toward the source of this noise. 

Captain America felt a soft hand longingly caress his shoulder and slide away.

Everyone kept silent.

Rachel was walking toward Ultron.

"Rachel ?", Natasha called. 

"What are you doing ?", Clint asked her.

She stopped. She had passed the arch of the ruins of the church and was showing her back to her mates. They all were looking at her.

She turned around. 

Behind her, Ultron watched the scene, waiting to see what was happening. Almost curious and amused.

"... What I have to", she answered, her voice firm and strong. "... One still have to save the citizens left in the city. ... We must finish the mission. I can help with that."

The team watched its friend, brows furrowing in uncomprehension.

Noone understood. 

"What do you mean ?", Tony asked.

"... You can't fight any longer", she said, watching at them all as tears progressivly blurred her vision. "I hear your thoughts. You're afraid... tired... I can fight in your place. ... I have the power to protect you."

Suddenly, Steve understood. He understood what she meant.

She wanted to act, to fight for them. Alone.

She wanted to give all of her power. She wanted to draw an unlimited strength in the depths of her infinitly powerfull mind.

Rachel wanted to unleash the Phoenix.

And that meant a lot of things. It meant that she might destroy the entire city. It meant that she would be overcame by the powerful entity that lived in her mind.

And that Rachel would die.

The Avenger's heart sped up under his ribs.

"Rachel, no", he started.

Steve made a step toward her, planting his blue eyes in her brown-green ones.

"Don't do that", he resumed, talking louder and faster than he wanted to. "If you unleash the Phoenix, you know that you won't survive !"

All the others turned their gaze to look at their leader, shocked by his words.

Rachel wanted to give her life for them. She wanted to sacrifice.

Eventually, they understood.

And they were worried and scared.

"Lady Rachel, don't act like a fool !", Thor shouted.

"If you do it, you won't return !", Tony added.

"We can beat them ! You don't have to do this !", Romanoff lied. "We'll find another way !"

"No, we won't !", she spat back. "It's the only way !"

"Rachel...", Steve murmured.

He walked toward her, stopping himself a few steps away from his beloved one. Looking at her with all the adoration he felt for her, and with a desolation and a fear she noticed painfully.

While he admired the she-mutant, this woman who meant everything to him, Steve was surprised to see how small she was. Small, but so beautiful.

"You don't have to give your life. We can't lose you like this...", he murmured with a voice full of sorrow.

She did not answered. A tear fell on her cheek.

"... Don't do that, we can defeat them. Together.", he told her, even if he did not trust his own words. "... I beg you... don't do that to us..."

Rachel's lower lip trembled.

He had to succeed. He had to convince her not to do such a madness. His voice broke in his throat. 

"Don't do that to me..."

She bounced on him, taking his handsome face in her hands, and brought her lips up to his.

Steve held her close, trying to keep her with them, to prevent her from leaving him. 

He never had held her so tight, he probably was hurting her. He never had thought that a kiss could be this painful.

"I love you, Steve", she breathed out when she pulled away.

Yet, despite all of Steve's efforts and all his will, she escaped his embrace, and when the super soldier went to follow her movement, when he moved forward, he met a wall of psychic energy.

He immobilized himself, his heart skipping a beat, and rose his head.

Rachel was walking backward. Tears were now running down her cheeks.

"RACHEL ! RACHEL !", Steve shouted, slamming his fists on the invisible barrier in anger, frustration, despair, fear and sadness. "DON'T DO THAT ! RACHEL !"

Natasha put a hand on her mouth, her eyes wettening with tears.

Clint was watching her, unable to say a word, his jaw clunched.

"Fuck !", Stark groaned. 

Tony could not let her die. He could not let a best friend of his and of Pepper's go away like this.

He lift his arms and tried to destroy the psychic field, shooting on it. When his onslaught hit the barrier, an explosion went created, but the wall was still here.

They had no way to got out. 

"RACHEL !", he called, joining Steve's screamings.

Thor tried to destroy the barrier, throwing it a lightning, but it remained indestructible.

The Hulk was striking the invisible walls, trying to get her back.

The twins did not know what to do.

The Vision stayed speechless.

Rachel turned her back to her mates, who were now safe, and walked toward Ultron.

Tears had disappeared from her face. She only showed determination, strength and courage.

"So... you think you can defeat my army alone ?", Ultron asked. "You want... to die ?"

"I'm an Avenger", she immediatly answered, without any hesitation. "And a former member of the X-Men. I knew what it would take when I signed up. It's a sacrifice I'd gladly do."

"... Such a pretty little bird...", Ultron laughed bitterly and sadly. "I whish I had not to kill you. You're a marvel of power and beauty, professor Summers... I am sorry."

With a motion of his hand, he ordered his minions to destroy the she-mutant. All of the robots ran in her direction, ready to ripp her off.

Steve's heart crushed in his chest, exploded, he felt himself fall with no end.

He was about to lose her... She was about to die. To disappear.

"RACHEEEEEEEEL !"

The she-mutant closed her eyes. Her shoudlers fell. She felt every inch of her body relaxing, as if she was falling asleep.

She had to let it go. To let it all go. Renounce to her control on her own body and mind. Open slightly the cage in which she had locked up the monster that lived within her spirit.

She slowly felt her consciousness fading away, and a voice rose into her whole being, the distinct, soft, fruity and cold voice of the entity that lived in her body.

The Phoenix.

She felt herself disappearing. Being erased of the world.

Then, something incredible, horrible and fascinating all at once happened. 

A wave of psychic energy blew around Rachel's static form, making her red hair fly in her back.

The robots touched by this wave immediatly exploded in a blur of golden, rosy and orange flames. And this was bad. Rachel's telepathic waves were, usually, invisible.

In the church, Wanda moaned in fear, making a step back and worrying her brother. She looked like she had seen the most scary thing in the world.

"Wanda ?", Pietro called. 

"What... What kind of monster is it ?!", she sobbed.

"... The Phoenix...", Steve breathed out.

"This creature...", the Vision said. "... It wants to destroy everything..."

"... I've already seen this..." Thor murmured.

"What ?!" Clint exclaimed, turning toward the nordic god.

"... In the Dark World, when she helped me trying to destroy the Aether... I saw this fire... and lady Rachel was... different."

The she-mutant's eyes opened.

There was no trace of Rachel in those eyes anymore. The spark of life that used to be into her brown-green orbs was gone.

There was only dark black, filled with red veins.

Rachel was gone.

She raised her arm in front of her.

A wind of flames burnt the robots that were running in her direction. Scarlet flames, orange wind and golden dust, mixed with rosy light. Crimson fire. 

A beautiful and lethal show.

And the minions disappeared, exploded in millions of pieces.

Ultron was made of vibranium : he could not be destroyed that easily. He went thrown away in a ravaged bus, and left the battlefield.

The Phoenix turned its head to its right and, without any other movement, a dozen of robots went destroyed. It lift its hands, and made burnt everything around it, everything disappeared, the Phoenix's body went swallowed in a storm of fire and iron. It turned around this monster, a whirlwind of flames and energy, it made the atmosphere vibrate with fear and agony.

The Avengers did not see anything anymore, but they knew one thing. 

Rachel was not here anymore.

An unstoppable titan had taken her place.

The ground was quivering, the air was burning, the robots were flying into pieces, and the church was still here, safe, secure, in the middle of this chaos, protecting the Avengers. Powerless, they could not do anything but watch.

Steve knew it was already too late, he knew he had lost the love of his life for the second time, but he could not stay helpless. 

"No... Rachel..."

A cry went from his stomach, down into his being, and he shouted, he screamed with all his pain and grief.

"RACHEEEEEEEEEEL !" 

This cry of pure agony, of unbearable pain, went to the Phoenix's ears.

And, somewhere deep inside this monster, under these mounts of power, something moved.

Its head turned toward the church.

Steve's eyes found Rachel's. He silently begged her for coming back. Prayed for her soul and heart to still be in this world.

"Rachel..."

The Phoenix's hand clunched, its arms fell to its sides and its fingers closed into tight fists.

The creature started panting. 

The woman's consciousness was coming back. It tried to get control on its body back. To close again the cage.

Noone was able to hear, see or guess the inhuman fight the she-mutant was giving inside her own spirit. Noone saw all the strength and the will she showed to her other self. Noone saw how much she fought to come back, to come back toward her friends, to come back to her beloved Avenger.

But they all heard that scream, that scream of pain, determination and victory that passed her lips.

They all saw the whirlwind of flames disappear, letting only a sea of crushed iron and dust.

In the church, the team saw Rachel, standing in the middle of the battlefield.

During a single instant, everything was calm, silent, as if nothing had happened.

The psychic barrier disappeared.

And, at the same time, Rachel's body collapsed.

Steve did not think. He immediatly ran toward her, abandonning his shield behind him.

"Rachel !"

He let himself fall on his knees, next to the red-haired woman, who was laying on the ground.

Immobile. Eyes shut close.

Captain America took the professor Summers in his arms, his heart beating faster than he thought it ever could have.

"Rachel... Rachel... Come back, come back...", he muttered, smoothing her red hair away from her dull face, his eyes starting burning.

He put a hand in her neck, searching for her heartbeat, but he did not found the pulse point. He was too panicked to.

Steve watched her, waiting, agonizing, praying for her to come back to life.

The others walked toward them, but they all stopped a few meters away from Steve and Rachel. Sad. Panicked. Afraid.

Waiting.

Hoping.

"Rachel...", the Captain murmured, tears slowly invading his marvelous blue eyes. "Come on ! Wake up !"

She did not move. 

She did not open her beautiful eyes.

Rachel stayed still.

Sadness, fear and anger grew up in Captain America's heart.

Steve's jaw trembled. His voice was shaking when he spoke again. He scarcely was whispering.

"... My love... I beg you... Don't... Don't go..."

Yet, he did not obtain any answer, or the slightest sign of life.

Rahel remained inanimated.

Steve strangled a sob in his throat. His face reflected all the pain he felt, his infinite grief and his despair.

He burried his head in her neck and hair. Breathing in her scent, that still laid on her hot skin.

Wanting to cry, scream, to burn the whole world, wanting the sky to come crashing down.

To make everything end.

But he could not show it. If he gave up, the team would give up too. And they still had a fight to finish and win. 

Yet, how could he be able to think about the future ? How could he think about life when the love of his had gave hers for them, for him ?

"... Why did you do that ?!", the super soldier groaned. "Why did you give your life for us ?! Why did you..."

A sob interrupted him. 

He could speak as long as he whished, he could scream, he could cry, he felt as if he was never going to smile again. As if he had died as well.

The super soldier was about to collapse, to abandon all hope.

But her eyelids flicked. Slightly.

A moan of exhaustion went out from her mouth. 

Steve's head bowed suddenly, looking at her.

His heart sped up under his ribs, beating so hard he almost could hear it.

She had opened her eyes.

"... Did you... just call me... "my love" ?", she asked with a weak voice.

The super soldier did not trusted his own eyes. 

She was here. She was back, leaning between his arms.

Rachel was alive.

Steve's face did not lightened, he did not smile, but he sighed soundly. More relieved that he had been in his whole life. He brought her closer to him, hugging her as if there was no tomorrow. She would gladly have returned his hug, but she did not have a single bit of energy in her body anymore. 

During an instant, they did not move. They just held tight to each other, relishing in their mere presence.

"If you wanted me to give you nicknames, you just had to ask...", Rogers snickered happily, caressing her long and dirty red hair.

And, finally, he smiled. He offered her a beautiful smile of his, the ones that lightened his entire face and made her heart melt.

"I'd love to, Captain", she answered lowly.

Behind them, Natasha was crying in respite, Tony had started laughing nervously and Clint was sighing, spent by all the worry they had felt. Thor was smiling happily, as did the Vision.

"How did you...", Steve started, dumbfounded.

"I don't know...", the she-mutant said. "... I'm just glad to be back... At least, I managed to contain it..."

"... What ? You were... You were containing it ?!" Steve repeated, astonished.

"If I had let it all go... it would have been worse", Rachel sighed.

"Oh, my God..."

After such a revelation, Steve laid his head down, not daring to imagine what would have happened if the Phoenix had been truly unleashed.

The super soldier lift his hand and, longingly, went to cup her marvelous face and trail his thumb across her cheek. 

"... I forbid you to try to sacrifice yourself once more...", the blond-haired man told his companion gravely. "... Promise me. Promise me you'll never try to give your life one more time." 

Rachel sweetly smiled, far too tired to laugh, and breathed deeply.

"I promise...", she whispered tenderly.

Steve gazed at her, more relieved than ever.

Then, never forgetting their mission, he spoke again.

"... Okay. Let's go. Gently."

Captain America kindly picked the Phoenix up, an arm behind her back and another under her knees, and stood up. He was quick, but extremly cautious, and Rachel still moaned in pain. Her mind and body were aching. At a mesured pace, Steve headed toward their mates.

"You naughty girl...", Stark snickered.

Natasha laughed nervously. She thought she had lost one of her best friends.

"If you try to die again, I'll kill you", Clint threatened.

Thor, silent, gazed at this Midgardian, whom power was rivalizing with his own.

"We gotta move out. Even I can tell the air is getting thin", the Captain said, recovering his legendary self-control. "You guys get to the boats. Thor, sweep for stragglers. I make sure Rachel's safe and I join you. We'll be right behind you."


End file.
